Borrowing from the original expression of “It takes a village to raise a child,” it can also be said that it takes a village to fight and conquer cancer. It may just be one body enduring the physical battle, but it is the shining hope of many, the support of friends and family, that matters significantly in the emotional and mental front.
Continuing to show solidarity, the community comes together to honor the survivors, warriors, and their families for this year’s World Lymphoma and Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Blood cancer is caused by mutations in the DNA within blood cells, with Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Myeloma being the most common types of blood cancers. According to the Global Cancer Observatory of the World Health Organization, in the Philippines, there are around 5,000 cases of Lymphoma, 6,000 cases of Leukemia, and 800 cases of Myeloma diagnosed every year.
That is almost 12,000 Filipinos a year being diagnosed with blood cancer. More than just a statistic, it also means 12,000 families impacted, 12,000 lives disrupted, and 12,000 battles for a better tomorrow.
Unknown to many, Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the immune system’s infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. The lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other areas of the body contain these cells, and Lymphoma leads lymphocytes to change and increase out of control.
Common symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, chills, weight loss, fatigue– all of which are more likely to be caused by, or confused with other conditions, which is why getting checked by a doctor is important for proper diagnosis, and education about blood cancers needs to be reinforced. Lymphoma Philippines aims to make this happen.
Lymphoma Philippines is a non-profit organization for Lymphoma patients, survivors, and caregivers aiming to spread awareness and education on Lymphoma, and connect the community through medically-approved Lymphoma-related campaigns in the country.
The lack of information is what inspired cancer survivor Jheric Delos Angeles, after his recovery from Stage 4 Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, and his wife Anna Tapel-Delos Angeles to create a community of Filipino patients and their family members in order to educate more people and provide much needed support to those in need, including fighting for better healthcare.
As part of these efforts, Jheric and Anna unveil The LymphomaQR Project, an initiative that aims to make information accessible to the general public through an easy-to-use and familiar tool.
With the goal of helping Filipinos have access to relevant information all throughout their Lymphoma journey, the LymphomaQR chatbot hopes to lessen the burden that they face. With LymphomaQR, anyone can:
